Veganuary : A Year In The Making

Okay, so we’ve made a full circle around the Sun and have come back to January, or should I say…Veganuary. That’s right, hoards of people participate every single year. For those of you who don’t know what Veganuary is, it’s when you eat Vegan for the entire month of January – hence the names smashed together.

You’ve probably read Why Did I Go Vegan In The First Place? and Transitioning to Veganism: Part One by now, so you’ll know that this time last year, I was on a ROLL making vegan recipes to try and soaking in as much information as I could research.

Fast forward a year and here I am….still alive!! And it’s safe to say that this past year has taught me a lot about veganism – the good and bad – and myself. That’s what I want to share here today. Here is what a year of veganism has taught me:

Vegan Does Not Mean Healthy

Hey, don’t shoot the messenger for spreading the truth, am I right? I REALLY want to say this loud enough for the people in the back. Vegan. Does. Not. Mean. Healthy!!! In fact, there are sooo many ways to unhealthily eat vegan. Hello potato chips, Oreos, and processed foods. So if you’re going Vegan for health reasons, I recommend staying away from processed soy products like Daiya and Gardein. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE their products, but in reality – it is SO not good for you. Oh, and

I’ll Let You In On Something Personal About Me

I have learned this year that it is very hard for my body to process a lot of foods. I’ve noticed myself getting sick very easily whenever I eat anything from Gardein, Boca, Daiya, Lighthouse; etc. Anything processed, packaged, or anything that isn’t mostly whole foods. Breads, chips, French fries – all a big nope! Often times I find myself very tired and physically sick because I don’t always have time to big a whole foods meal. In result, I was miserable for about 2/3 of 2018. (I always have to learn the hard way…)

It’s the Egotistical Vegans That Make The Rest of Us Look Bad.

There, I said it. So to all you vegans that shove your ego down everyone’s throat: Really?! I understand you’re trying to save the animals/the planet, but pummeling someone with negativity isn’t really going to make them want to change a lifestyle. (And while we are talking about this, it’s the same concept with Christians. Saying bad things about people or bullying them into believing in God is not going to make them believe in God. Okay, let’s get back on track.) Okay, here’s the point: if you think you’re self-righteous because you don’t eat meat, please step to the back of the line. Veganism is about making the world a friendlier place, and you’re bad attitude is only making it worse. 🙂

Vegan food is TASTY

Okay, maybe not ALL of it – but a good portion of everything I have tried has been DE LISH! I am IN LOVE with that mac n cheese I had at a vegan café in Baltimore. (Honestly still drooling over it.) Oh, and veganizing recipes is so much easier than people think.

Support is EVERYTHING!!

Just a small shoutout to my boyfriend, Trey, and my momma for joining me on the vegan journey. Also, to Zoe ( The Crumby Vegan ) for always being super supportive of me, especially in the beginning!

I also found some really great vegan blogs/influencers that you should check out!


 

I have learned a lot this year about my health, friends, family, and environment while on my vegan journey. And I’d love to share everything I’ve learned with you, but this post would turn into a NOVEL. My question to you is, are you participating in Veganuary this year? If so, why? If not, why not??

 

Thanks for reading!!

 

xoxo

 

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